Excerpt from Races of Domestic Poultry

My own study of poultry-breeding has now extended over a period of more than thirty years. During that time the progress made has been phenomenal, not merely in the development of commercial poultry-breeding, as indicated in the companion volume, poultry-keeping as an Industry for Farmers and Cottagers, ' but also in respect to the number of breeds at our disposal. At the commencement of the period named, the Langshan and the Leghorn, the Plymouth Rock and the Wyandotte, the Cam pine and the Orpington, the Ancona and the Indian Game, the Maline and the Faverolles, amongst fowls, the Pekin and Indian Runner ducks, and the American Bronze turkey, not to mention many others, were entirely or practically unknown to the greater number of British breeders, and it is difficult to imagine what would be the position of affairs were these races swept out of existence. It is not too much to say that they have contributed enormously to the success attained, and that they have done more, directly and indirectly, than all the older breeds to make profitable modern develop ments.

In the first edition of the work already referred to announcement was made that it was my inten tion to write a work dealing with the different races of poultry, but that promise has not been fulfilled until now. One reason was that on approaching the subject it was found there was a large number of breeds existent of which little was known, even in the countries to which they were indigenous, and respecting which information was unavailable. Consequently, I determined, as opportunity offered, to visit these countries, to examine the birds where they were common, in order to personally see them, learn their characters and qualities, and thus be able to form a judgment as to their values. During the last few years, in fulfilment Of this Object, I have visited France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Den mark, Russia, Austria, Hungary, the Balkan States, Italy, and Spain, and the results of these tours.

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